Togetherness
by Catherine E. Grant
Summary: A late night at Frank's allows Rachel to come to a realisation about what she really wants.


TOGETHERNESS  
Author: Catherine E. Grant (avatar_31@angelfire.com)  
  
Disclaimer: Frank & Rachel are the property of Hal McElroy and Southern Star, though you'd think he wouldn't want them anymore after he lost one and killed the other. Talk about possessive! Hey I'm only borrowing them...okay, okay, I'll return them when I'm done.  
Spoilsport.   
  
Summary: A late night at Frank's allows Rachel to come to a realisation about what she really wants.  
  
TOGETHERNESS  
  
Frank's place was a disaster zone, Rachel Goldstein decided for the umpteenth time. "Can't you ever clean this tip?" she complained, again.  
  
"What, me?" her partner asked innocently, gesturing wildly. "Clean this?"  
  
"No, not you, Cinderella" she said sarcastically.  
  
"I gave her a call but she's booked up until Christmas. So unless you're volunteering..."  
  
"Oh forget it mate."   
  
Frank grinned, they had this argument every time Rachel saw his house. Admittedly it wasn't as clean as hers, but he was proud of it and knew he could find anything he was looking for.   
  
Eventually.  
  
"Got us some beer, and some pizza, and some videos" he declared, clearing a spot on the couch. Rachel tried not to wince as he swept the former occupants onto the floor. How did he avoid tripping over anything? she wondered.  
  
"Oh, great. Not Attack of the Killer Zombies again?"  
  
"Nah, Invasion of the body snatchers!" He waved the case.  
  
She groaned. "Francis James Holloway, you are incorrigible!"  
  
"Yeah, I know" he smirked. Rachel just rolled her eyes and took a beer. Letting Frank choose the video ALWAYS resulted in something like this, you'd have thought she'd learnt by now. Oh well.  
  
"Let's get it over with then, shall we?" she prompted. She didn't really hate his choice of shows - or music - they tended to grow on her, like Frank himself, but be damned if she was going to let him know that though. Their banter was a solid part of their relationship. Not that theirs was a relationship, she amended hurriedly, just a very good friendship. Yeah, that's what it was.  
  
One video, pizza and several beers later, they'd drifted into idle conversation. Frank didn't really care what they talked about, he just wanted to prolong the moment. Rachel always looked so relaxed when they didn't have a case; they were just two friends talking about things that interested them.   
  
"So, did ya have a good time when David came up?" he asked idly.  
  
"The best. He's a great kid" she answered. "I wish I could see him more often."  
  
"Maybe you could, you could get custody if you could offer him a stable home life, couldn't you?"  
  
"Maybe. What are you talking about, Francis?"  
  
"Let's say if you got married..."  
  
"Nah uh! I'm not going there, not again! Besides, I'd hafta find somebody to marry first."  
  
"You don't have to look any further than over here" he pressed, grinning wickedly. How did his smile make her knees go weak like that? she thought frantically. He was her partner, for Christ's sake, he was FRANK HOLLOWAY, he was...sexy, goddamn sexy. Don't go there Rachel! This isn't good, get off this train of thought, think of something else...it wasn't working. Damn him.  
  
Dimly she realised he was speaking.  
  
"Nah Rach, you know I couldn't live without you," Frank said honestly.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Yeah - me, and beer, and pizza"  
  
"Don't forget the fish and chips."  
  
"Couldn't forget that, mate"  
  
"Geez Goldie, you know I mean it though" he persisted.   
"Ya hafta know how much ya mean to me, I'd go crazy if you weren't there to tell me off all the time. Shit, I don't wanna jeopardise this partnership, you're the best partner I've ever had."  
  
"Yeah, likewise Francis."  
  
"You reckon?"  
  
"Yeah, we're a good team."  
  
"Off duty as well as on?"  
  
Rachel rolled her eyes. Geez he was persistent. "Francis..." she said warningly.  
  
"Rachel..."  
  
"Look, we had our moment and we missed it. Let's not keep thinking about might have beens, we've got a great partnership, many people don't ever have that."  
  
"You're me best friend Rach."  
  
"Yeah, same here. But listen mate, we can't keep on about the past, it's not worth it."  
  
Frank slowly put down his can of beer and looked at her. She looked so lost, so lonely, that his heart went out to her. "Rach..." tentatively he reached out a hand and laid it on her arm. She pulled away from him.  
  
"Drop it, Frank."  
  
Quickly she got up, finished her drink and grabbed her jacket. "Yeah, thanks for the invite mate, I'd better be going, I've got some paperwork to catch up on, Hawker'll be mad if he doesn't get it..." belatedly she realised she was babbling.  
  
"Will he?" Frank looked up at her with all his emotion in his eyes. "Don't go, Rachel."  
  
The simple plea tore at her heart and made her turn round. 'No' something said inside her, 'he's your partner, you can't do this, you've both had a bit too much to drink.' But the tenderness in his expression - a look she'd never thought to see there - begged with her to stay. 'Admit it Rach, you're falling for him' she told herself, frustrated at her lack of control but helpless to stop what she felt. 'I can't deny it,' she thought firmly, 'but I CAN reject it.'  
  
"Good night Frank." Hurriedly she found her keys and walked out, the internal war she fought evident in her stiff posture and determined stride.  
  
'I can't believe she just walked out' the thought floated around Frank's drink befuddled brain before settling down to a more permanent rest. 'I can't believe she just walked away from me.'   
  
"Don't go, Rach..." he whispered again, looking sadly at the pile of beer bottles - most of which had been his - the empty pizza box and the video they'd rented. He'd thought spending the evening relaxing would be good for both of them, and yes, he'd hoped for something more if she'd been ready. He shook his head slightly. Would she ever be 'ready'? Could she ever return his feelings or were all his hopes just in vain? He didn't want just a one night stand with her, though he knew he would have made the most of one if he'd gotten the chance. Gods help him, he'd finally met the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and she couldn't see past their partnership.  
  
"You and me, Rach, it'd be fantastic," Frank muttered, picturing them together. Their wedding...children...long nights just spent holding each other after even longer days at the office...growing old together, sharing a house and every aspect of their lives. "Yeah" he whispered, mad at himself for not following her but not fool enough to upset what was already a fragile balance. He didn't want to push her any further...  
  
Footsteps failed to wake him from his light slumber. Quietly hands cleaned away the evidence of their evening, throwing away the battered pizza box and storing the few remaining bottles of beer in the fridge. There weren't that many left.   
  
A blanket from upstairs was tenderly draped over his still form. After a moment's indecision, another body curled up next to him, draping tender arms around him and hugging him close. Why disturb him? He needed his rest as much as she did.  
  
Frank woke the next morning with a massive hangover. This wasn't his bed...had he and Rachel...no this wasn't her bed, it wasn't a bed...He'd fallen asleep on the couch after she'd walked out on him, that was it. But what? Groggily he took in the sleeping figure next to him and the blanket spread over them both, and smiled. She'd come back.  
  
Yep, it was gonna be fantastic.   
  
THE END  
  
Words: 1215  
  
Yep, that's it for now, but I'm working on something else. So, feeeeeeeeeeed the bard, she's getting hungry. Be good, responsible little readers and send me some feedback - I love you too, sweetcheeks!  
  
Email: avatar_31@angelfire.com  



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